Religion

Album: First Issue (1978)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • John Lydon was in fine form when interviewed by Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams on the BBC Breakfast news programme, July 7, 2010. The latter suggested his song "Religion" was "raw," of which he said "that states the case quite clearly" and, alluding to the then ongoing scandal over child abuse including sexual abuse, he added, "in light of the Catholic Church's scandals at the moment, I hate to say it, but seen it coming." This was partly due to his once being a choirboy, but there is another reason for his antagonism towards, religion, and especially the Catholic Church.

    When asked by Sian Williams, "Your Mum was Catholic, wasn't she?" a look of pain came over his face, and his voice was filled with bitterness as he replied: "They treated 'er very badly; they wouldn't give 'er [the] last rites when she died of cancer in the hospital, so we 'ave a really bad, negative view, our family, of the Catholic Church."
  • Among other things, Lydon's song notes that God is dog spelt backwards, and although probably Al Stewart wouldn't agree with all its sentiments, there are obvious parallels between this punk-based rant against Christianity (Catholicism in particular) and the folk-based "Gethsemane, Again". >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")Songwriter Interviews

A top country songwriter, Barry talks about writing hits for Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.